Does a Customer by Any Other Name Tip the Same?: The Effect of Forms of Address and Customers’ Age on Gratuities Given to Food Servers in the United States
Document Type
Conference Paper
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Interpersonal Communication Division at the annual meeting of the Western States Communication Association
Publisher
Western States Communication Association
Publication Date
2-1-2012
Abstract
This study examined whether different forms of address used by food servers were related to customers' tipping behavior. Food servers addressed diners who paid with credit cards by their first names, titles plus last names, sir/ma'am, or no address. Results indicated that when food servers personalized their service by addressing their customers by name, they earned significantly higher tips than when they used less immediate forms of address, although customers' estimated age mediated these results.
Recommended Citation
Seiter, J. S., & Weger, H., Jr. (2012, February). Does a Customer by Any Other Name Tip the Same?: The Effect of Forms of Address and Customers’ Age on Gratuities Given to Food Servers in the United States. Paper presented to the Interpersonal Communication Division at the annual meeting of the Western States Communication Association, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
